Current life, in general, and for everyone, is hard. Our world is off its rails, and probably we all feel shipwrecked. However, is God a passive leader; or is He actively navigating our bumper car journey? Unquestionably, I believe the latter. The problem is not our, seemingly, off course direction but the response of our pigeonhole view. Do we only see the negative, or do we broaden our outlook and see God in the distance beckoning us forward?
Recently, I’ve come to understand (and accept) that God shows me what I must overcome to grow me into His vision of “whose” I am destined to be. I, quite the opposite, used to expect God to woah the storm, tow the broken down, mow down the challenges and sew up all my hurts and boo boo’s; for then I would know for sure God’s good and only wants the best for me. Quite frankly, that was the world’s epistle, not God’s gospel.
New perspective is no matter what confronts me, God is behind me and has allowed downfalls for the purpose of building me upward and not to pummel me into a downward spiral. Withstanding and getting beyond whatever the world slings at me can be a battering ram or insight into what I need to overcome in order to fulfill my God given purpose. Looking at challenge, misfortune and hardship through the eyes of what is God showing me to grow me brings wisdom into focus; and my view changes from looking down to gazing up.
God intends for fiery times not to define us but to refine us. I can’t escape hard seasons. I can choose to accept them as mountains God will help carry me over and valleys out of which God will pull me, or I can decide to collapse in surrender. The choice is solely mine to “soul”y make.
I’ve spoken in the first person – me; but each and every child of God has (at one time or another) the exact same landmine over which to maneuver. May all, with uplifted eyes, hearts and souls, choose not to be defined but refined. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV)
Uplifted in a Broken Down World 